Treatment for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) can be a complicated path. Since researchers first began tracking autism cases in the United States in 2000, the number of autism diagnoses in kids and adults has continued to rise.
Both diagnosis and treatment for autism are easier to access than ever due to the rising knowledge, awareness, and acceptance surrounding ASD. But what do you do after you receive an autism diagnosis?
In this guide, Ability Central shares the options available to you after an autism diagnosis, including autism treatment for kids and adults. We answer:
How do I find a doctor for autism treatment?
What tests can diagnose autism?
Why is autism commonly undiagnosed or misdiagnosed?
What are the levels of autism?
How is autism treated in children?
How is autism treated in adults?
Can autism symptoms change over time?
Where can I get more information about autism?
How do I find a doctor for autism treatment?
The first place to look for autism treatment is with the doctor who diagnosed ASD. This may be your child’s pediatrician, your primary care provider, a family doctor, or a specialist. If needed, these providers can refer you to an autism treatment specialist.
Doctors and specialists involved in autism treatment might include:
Adult and child psychiatrists
Adult and child psychologists
Adult and pediatric neurologists
Developmental pediatricians
Speech-language pathologists
Occupational therapists
Physical therapists
Cognitive behavioral therapists
Alternative medicine specialists
Social workers and case managers
Self-advocacy groups
Support groups
If you have private medical insurance through a family member or job, your insurance company may have a list of in-network autism treatment providers on file. Schools, hospital networks, doctors’ offices, and even public services like libraries and community centers often keep up-to-date referral lists for autism specialists.
If you’re not sure where to start, check out Ability Central’s Service Locator tool. Use this searchable database to connect with local nonprofits that offer services for people with autism. If these organizations don’t offer the services you’re looking for, they may be able to connect you with an autism specialist near you.
What are the levels of autism?
To be officially diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, someone must have symptoms in two categories:
Challenges with social interaction and communication, like making eye contact, holding a conversation, making friends, or reading social cues.
Restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, like routines, rituals, repetitive movements or speech, or resistance to change.
From there, doctors categorize ASD into three “levels.”
ASD Level 1, previously called “high-functioning autism,” refers to someone who faces some challenges but doesn’t need around-the-clock care. People with level 1 autism may:
Struggle to start and finish conversations
Have trouble making and maintaining relationships
Speak or act in unexpected ways
Feel the need to follow strict routines
Struggle to handle change
Need help with time and task management, organization, and planning
ASD Level 2 requires substantial support. In addition to experiencing level 1 symptoms, someone with this type of autism struggles more with social settings and often acts or speaks inappropriately or unexpectedly (for example, abruptly walking away from a conversation, interrupting others, or speaking in short sentences).
ASD Level 3, the most severe form of autism, needs a lot of daily support. Some people with this type of autism can only communicate in very specific ways, while others do not speak at all. Bad reactions to change are a recurring symptom of autism, but someone with ASD level 3 might have a full meltdown and experience serious distress even at the smallest disruptions.
Knowing your autism “level” can help you and your care team understand how autism affects you. From there, your autism level can inform treatment and therapy.
To learn more about autism symptoms and severity, see How to Recognize Autism Symptoms in Children and Adults.
How is autism treated in children?
Autism treatment’s goal is to lessen symptoms and help people learn social, communication, functional, and behavioral skills. For kids, treatment focuses on establishing routines, managing schoolwork, and learning social skills.
Autism treatment in children may include:
Behavior and communication therapies to address social, language, and behavioral difficulties associated with ASD.
Educational therapy to improve social skills, communication, and behavior in a highly structured, individualized educational program.
Speech therapy to address ASD-related speech impediments or communication difficulties.
Occupational therapy to improve balance and movement.
Medication. While there is no drug that specifically treats autism, medications may help alleviate some symptoms that occur alongside ASD. For example, some children are prescribed stimulants to treat focus and concentration problems, antipsychotics to treat behavioral issues, or antidepressants to treat depression, anxiety, and mood disorders.
Many children with autism benefit from home and family therapy, too. Parents learn skills, teaching methods, and routines from teachers, therapists, and doctors, then practice these with their children both formally and informally.
For example, if you’re a parent of an autistic child, you might ask a therapist for methods to help your child do their chores every day. The specialist could offer ideas like chore charts, reward systems, or other treatments specifically designed for children with autism.
How is autism treated in adults?
Autism treatment for adults follows the same basic structure as autism treatment for kids, but with more emphasis on life skills, career advancement, and social relationships.
Adult autism treatment often focuses on maximizing independence. Some programs offer vocational training, career coaching, or life skills lessons focused specifically on employment. Vocational rehabilitation (VR) counseling, often state or federally funded, helps adults with autism identify their strengths and needs in the workplace, then find meaningful jobs.
In addition, teens and adults with autism are at higher risk for other mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder. Cognitive behavioral therapy and other forms of traditional talk therapy may help older teens and adults manage their autism symptoms as they grow up, find jobs, start families, and face the regular stressors of aging.
Can autism symptoms change over time?
Yes. Autism comes from structural differences in brain development, so it doesn’t “go away” and can’t be “cured.” However, people with autism may learn new life skills and social routines that help them succeed in their careers and relationships. When this happens, symptoms often lessen or appear to go away entirely.
The flip side of this is also true. Symptoms that haven’t been around in years may appear in times of significant stress, like hand-flapping or stimming (rapid, repetitive movements used as a form of self-soothing). Many life events can make autism symptoms worse, especially things that are traumatic or cause major changes to someone’s circumstances or routines.
For example, someone with autism who found joy and purpose in an accounting job may panic and not be able to handle it if they get laid off from that job. Or, someone with severe autism who lived with a parent may experience significant difficulties after that parent passes away.
Where can I get more information about autism?
To learn more about autism spectrum disorders (ASD), see:
In addition, Ability Central maintains a searchable database of nonprofits that can help with everything from diagnosis to treatment. Use our Service Locator tool to find an organization near you.
For additional information on autism spectrum disorders, see:
